"Cradles" by Owen King

 

New Jersey native Sub Urban exploded on the music scene in 2019 with his creepy macabre single "Cradles."

The song was remade a year later by Owen King.

There's no bio information listed on Owen King's Spotify profile.

So, it's inconclusive if he's Stephen King's son Owen, also a novelist.

According to the name stats website, "King" is the 22nd most common surname, and Owen, according to Social Security data, is the 18th most popular name for a boy.

So, there are probably a veritable shit ton of Owen Kings out there.

This song is courtesy of one of them.

"Should I Stay or Should I Go" by Swimming With Clothes On

 

Erie, Pennsylvania youngsters Swimming With Clothes On cover "Should I Stay or Should I Go," the 1982 dichotomous query from London, UK protopunks The Clash.

If you're going to swim with clothes on, this website recommends avoiding cotton or dyed fibers, opting instead for something in polyester or spandex.

"Sunflower" by Flight Paths

 

On this date 163 years ago, Kansas became the 34th state to enter the union, prompting Betsy Ross to sigh and start rearranging stars on the flag to make room for one more.

I could have gone with a Kansas cover, but.....nah.

Kansas is known as "The Sunflower State," 

So, here's Denver, Colorado area sibling band Flight Paths with their cover of 2018 Spider-verse tune "Sunflower" from Grapevine, Texas artist Post Malone.

For another Post Malone cover, Of Monsters and Men's cover of "Circles" can be found here.

For a cover by Post Malone, his version of "Only Wanna Be With You" can be found here.

"Rapture" by My Robot Friend

 

If Hell has elevators, I have a feeling that New York City performance artist My Robot Friend's version of Blondie's 1980 hip hop progenitor "Rapture" is the muzak that would be pumped in.

For more Blondie covers, Underclass's version of "Maria" can be found here, and Heartworms' version of "Sunday Girl" can be found here.

"The Kill" by Eva Under Fire

 

One of Pandora Radio's artists to watch in 2023, Detroit, Michigan alternative metal band Eva Under Fire get rainbow haired and screamy vocaled on their live recording of "The Kill," a 2006 hard rock single from Oscar winner Jared Leto-fronted emo band 30 Seconds to Mars.

"Down Under" by Ninja Sex Party

 

G'Day, Mate!

Happy Australia Day!

Crack a Foster's and check out this cover of Australian pop band Men at Work's 1981 reggae rock sing along "Down Under" by New York City comedy synth band Ninja Sex Party.

For another Men at Work cover, Victims of Circumstance's version of "Overkill" can be found here.

"Tahitian Moon" by Mon Criminel

 

Boston, Massachusetts rock band Mon Criminel cover "Tahitian Moon," a 1996 gem from Los Angeles, California funk metal band Porno for Pyros.

Tahitian Moon made me think of Tahitian Treat, a soda that was widely distributed in the '80s, but now is rare enough for 2 liter bottles to sell for 15 bucks on eBay.

It was tasty and all, but.... 15 bucks?  A two liter?  Plus about 10 dollars shipping? People done lost their damn minds.

"Trouble" by ortoPilot

 

Manchester, UK bespectacled multi-instrumentalist ortoPilot has been uploading videos of primarily cover songs to YouTube for over 17 years.

In that time, he's amassed more than 50 million views, or one view for every time that the kids left the bathroom without turning the light off.

Here is his version of Nashua, New Hampshire folk blues artist Ray LaMontagne's soulful 2004 song "Trouble."

"Cherry-Coloured Funk" by Arctic Lake

 

London indie trio Arctic Lake cover the 1990 paragon of ambient nonsense, "Cherry-Colured Funk" from Scottish dreampop band Cocteau Twins.

"Brown Eyed Girl" by Reel Big Fish

 

Huntington Beach, California ska punk band Reel Big Fish will have you skippin' and a-jumpin' on their remake of 1967 pop rock song "Brown Eyed Girl" from the Belfast Lion Van Morrison

"Missed Connection" by Devil's Jade

 

Carmel, Indiana area band Devil's Jade don't lose a step or crisscross in the wrong direction on their remake of 2019 single "Missed Connection" from Seattle, Washington indie folk band The Head and the Heart.

Confession: I only know of this song because I heard it via the piped in music at a Kohl's department store.  Fitting, as it was released on the Head and the Heart album "Songs to Purchase Sonoma Machine-Washable Rugs By."

Speaking of connections, if you haven't played the New York Times game Connections, you're missing out.  Not to brag, but I'm currently sitting at a 98% success rate of finding the quirky commonalities.

"So Cold" by Fear and Grace

 

It was on this day 70 years ago, in a mining camp near Helena, Montana, that the thermometers registered 70 degrees below zero.

I'm getting frostbite just typing that.

To mark the occasion, here's Chicago, Illinois area alternative band Fear and Grace, with their cover of 2004 post-grunge single "So Cold" from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania group Breaking Benjamin.

"Sir Duke" by The Lemon Beat

 

On May 29. 2016, a new Facebook page was created for the band The Lemon Beat.  They promised many videos uploaded over the coming weeks.

On June 5, 2016, they uploaded their rendering of Saginaw, Michigan musician Stevie Wonder's 1977 jazzy soul single "Sir Duke."

And, that was it.

Their website thelemonbeat.com is now defunct.

Their Instagram has a grand total of three posts.

If I'm not mistaken, the reason for the super short (weeklong) stint for their project is that guitarist Rafa Ortiz appears to be a really, really busy professional kayaker.

"Here I Go Again" by Asking Alexandria

 

North Yorkshire, UK by way of Dubai, UAE metalcore band Asking Alexandria show off their glam chops on a remake of "Here I Go Again," the power ballad released by Whitesnake initially in 1982, then again in 1987 to a wider audience, thanks in large part to a video featuring Tawny Kitaen and some Jaguars.  

I don't know if Asking Alexandria released a video for their version, but if so, I hope that it features a scantily clad Elle Dowling writhing on the hood of a Tesla Model 3. 

"I'm Yours" by Honeyfox

 

Peruvian-born and Los Angeles based musician Honeyfox sweetens the 2008 global favorite "I'm Yours" from Richmond, Virginia area singer/songwriter Jason Mraz.

"Wonderful Tonight" by Love Runs Blind

 

From that hotbed of musical entertainment Chittagong, Bangladesh come Love Runs Blind, fronted by the late pioneer of Bangladeshi pop music Ayub Bachchu.

Here, they perform "Wonderful Tonight," a 1977 ballad from Surrey, UK blues guitarist Eric Clapton.

For another Clapton cover, Autumn Boukadakis's cover of "Lay Down Sally" can be found here.

"Push It" by Fight Like Apes

 

On this date 180 years ago, Notre Dame University was officially chartered by the Indiana legislature.

And, their mascot?  The highly controversial Fighting Irish.

So, here's Dublin, Ireland indie rock band Fight Like Apes with their cover of 1987 pop rap hit "Push It" from New York City Hot, Cool, and Vicious hip hop group Salt-N-Pepa.

"Who Will Save Your Soul" by Patchwork Road

 

South Korean band Patchwork Road take to the rooftops with their remake of "Who Will Save Your Soul," a 1995 hit for Homer, Alaska singer/songwriter Jewel.

Girlfriend in the back transitions seamlessly from accordion to Irish whistle like it ain't no thing.  

"Karma Chameleon" by Sixteen Candles Band

 

Chicago, Illinois cover aficionados Sixteen Candles Band take road trips that are similar to our family road trips, except with richer harmonies, more accordion, and less complaining about the cabin temperature or who has to take the middle seat.

Here, they brush up the 1983 new wave hit "Karma Chameleon" from London, UK pop reggae band Culture Club.  

"Different Drum" by Little Quirks

 

New South Wales, Australia family band Little Quirks travel to the beat of a different drum on their remake of "Different Drum," a song written by Monkee Michael Nesmith, initially recorded by The Greenbriar Boys in 1966, and popularized by Linda Ronstadt and The Stone Poneys in 1967. 

Judging from the last 10 seconds of their video, The Quirks also share my wife's taste in throw pillows. (Rory thrown in for added cuteness...and because it's the only picture of that pillow I can find out of eighty gazillion images saved in Jess's online photo albums.)

  

"Bang!" by The Cog is Dead

 

I've never been a fan of Steampunk as a literary genre, but my introduction to the musical aesthetic is DeLand, Florida project The Cog is Dead, and their take on New York City indie pop band AJR's 2020 single "Bang!" is simply fantabulous.

"Walkin' After Midnight" by Rubber Rodeo

 

Rubber Rodeo are a Providence, Rhode Island based cowboy new wave band that weaved together country music and synthesizers on their 1984 remake of Winchester, Virginia icon Patsy Cline's 1957 breakthrough hit "Walkin' After Midnight."

If memory serves, it's also the name of that movie your sister starred in during the late '70s.

No judgement at all!  That was one of my favorite movies when I was fifteen.

"The Letter" by Vains of Jenna

 

Swedish cock rockers Vains of Jenna cover the 1967 blue-eyed soul hit "The Letter" from Memphis, Tennessee band The Box Tops.

The Box Tops formed that year, nearly three decades prior to the debut of the Box Tops for Education program.

It's undetermined whether or not the band The Box Tops are for education, though all signs indicate that they're at least not vehemently opposed to it.  

"Song 2" by Monowhales

 

Woo-Hoo!

Toronto, Canada indie rockers Monowhales cover "Song 2," the 1997 release from London, UK artists Blur.

The song is played each time minor league baseball team Wilmington Blue Rocks score a run, as a giant celery stalk rushes the field and dances.

Despite having the best anthropomorphic vegetable mascot in the league, the Blue Rocks finished 2023 with a dismal 26-40 record. 

Scoring runs isn't easy.... but nothing i-is.......noooo.....

For another Blur cover, Wang Chung's version of "Girls and Boys" can be found here.

For a cover by Blur, their version of "Maggie May" can be found here.

"It Hurts" by A Reason For This

 

Glasgow, Scotland solo acoustic artist with pop punk leanings A Reason for This covers San Diego, California space rockers Angels and Airwaves' 2006 single "It Hurts."

"Rag Doll" by Eight to the Bar

 

New Haven, Connecticut swing band Eight to the Bar retro jazz up the 1988 hair metal song "Rag Doll" from Boston, Massachusetts bad boys Aerosmith.  

Perhaps the 1930's throwback band chose this song because of the mention of the Old Tin Lizzie.

"Bubble Toes" by The Late Ones

 

Gardena, California by way of Laie, Hawaii trio The Late Ones cover "Bubble Toes," the feel-good 2001 acoustic surf folk song from Jack Johnson. 

And, they do so underneath of a mango tree.

Because, la-da-da-da-da-da-da.

"Bad Moon Rising" by Satin Puppets and Nxghtshade

 

Crestline, California twin sisters Satin Puppets, along with Los Angeles electronic artist Nxghtshade, take the foreboding 1969 single "Bad Moon Rising" from swamp rockers Creedence Clearwater Revival, and remove all doubt that the deceptively upbeat original song is about the sinister things lurking incredibly close by.

For more Creedence covers, Boney M's version of "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?" can be found here, and Dropkick Murphys' version of "Fortunate Son" can be found here.

"Servitude" by Byzantine

 

Charleston, West Virginia groove metal band Byzantine remain pretty faithful to the 1993 song "Servitude" by Los Angeles, California eclectic as anything group Fishbone.

West Virginia metal band..... huh.  Who knew?

"Sweater Weather" by Egg

 

Indie rock band The Neighbourhood's 2012 dark pop single "Sweater Weather" was reimagined as a haunting electric piano ditty by part-time musician and full-time silly goose Egg.

Egg is a Taurus and they own a cat.

Though inconclusive from internet sleuthing, I'd guess that they are from the San Jose, California area, based on their collaborative works with area musicians.  

"This Will Be Our Year" by OK Go

 

I hope that 2024 is your best year yet.

Here's Chicago, Illinois power pop band OK Go with their version of "This Will Be Our Year," a 1968 psychedelic pop single from Hertfordshire, UK band The Zombies.

This will be our year.... took a long time to come.